Tomorrow night France welcome Germany to the Groupama Stadium for an international friendly which will the first match of the year for both teams as they begin their preparations for Euro 2024.
Germany were the only team to defeat France in 2023 when they won 2-1 in an international friendly seven months ago.
France though have had a successful 2023 and have recovered well after their heartbreak in the 2022 World Cup final and their disappointing time in the Nations League.
Didier Deschamp’s side won their Euro qualifying group comfortably and remain one of the favourites to win the competition this year.
Germany have not played a competitive match since their exit at the 2022 World Cup, as they had already qualified for Euro 2024 due to being the hosting nation.
They have played eleven international friendlies during this time and have won just three of these, with one coming against France under temporary manger Rudi Voller.
Die Mannschaft now look forward with a new manager, Julian Naglesmann after he was surprisingly sacked by Bayern Munich last spring.
Naglesmann has had a rocky start so far with the national team, winning his first match and then drawing one and losing two.
Germany have won just six times in their last 22 matches and will not be clear favourites to dominate Group A at the Euros with Hungary, Scotland and Switzerland to compete with.
Team News
Antoine Griezmann joined up with the France squad but has since suffered an ankle injury and has had to withdraw, meaning that his 84 consecutive appearances for France will now come to an end.
Moussa Diaby has earned himself a recall to the squad alongside Ibrahima Konate however it is unlikely that Konate will play the match due to his recent struggles with a hamstring injury.
For Germany, two players have had to withdraw from their squad due to injury which are Bayern Munich’s Aleksander Pavlovic and Manuel Neuer. Neuer is now a doubt for Bayern’s fixture in the quarter final of the Champions League against Arsenal.
Toni Kroos has returned to the national team for the first time since 2020.
GGFN | Matthew Gritton
